NBA trade proposal sends Anthony Davis to Raptors, Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga to Mavs

Anthony Davis has barely had time to unpack, and he’s already back in the rumor mill.

That’s usually how you know something’s off.

The Mavericks took a big swing when they acquired Davis, and it was controversial from the jump. Then they lucked into Cooper Flagg on draft night, and suddenly the timeline shifted again. Fair or not, Davis started feeling like a short-term solution the moment that happened.

To be clear, this isn’t all on him. When he’s played, he’s been productive. Davis is averaging 20.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. Dallas is 9-9 with him in the lineup. Without him, they’re 4-14. That matters.

So does the rest of the picture.

The Mavericks entered Wednesday at 14-23, sitting 11th in the West and chasing the final play-in spot. When you trade for a star, you don’t expect to be counting games back in January. The margin for error is already thin, and that’s why the speculation isn’t going away.

Here’s one hypothetical that sends Davis north, via James Piercey of Dallas Hoops Journal:

Raptors receive:

• Anthony Davis

Mavericks receive:

• Jonathan Kuminga
• RJ Barrett
• Jakob Poeltl
• Buddy Hield
• Ochai Agbaji
• 2028 first-round pick (lottery protected)

Warriors receive:

• Klay Thompson
• Daniel Gafford

Why Raptors do it

Yes, the Raptors once caught lightning in a bottle with Kawhi Leonard. No, this isn’t that. But Davis still fits what Toronto likes — size, versatility, two-way impact.

They’ve been competitive, they wouldn’t miss Poeltl too much, and Barrett is the price of admission. One heavily protected pick for a player not that far removed from superstardom? That’s a swing they might justify.

Why Mavericks listen

This is the uncomfortable part. Davis isn’t a superstar asset anymore. Durability has chipped away at that. So has age. His BPM is solid, not elite.

That makes him a distressed asset. Kuminga is the headliner. Agbaji is useful. Barrett and Poeltl are flippable. One pick might be enough.

Why Warriors say yes

The dynasty is fading. Stephen Curry isn’t going anywhere. So why not try one last reshuffle?

Gafford gives them rim pressure. Thompson slides back into a familiar role. Kuminga hasn’t felt fully trusted there in a while anyway.

By now, Davis is used to this. The rumors don’t mean he’s gone. But they do mean the Mavericks are already being asked a hard question.

And they might not like the answer.